Pyledriver has a free entry in the GPdP for reward for his Ascot win. Good interview with his trainer on the Nick Luck podcast if you want a listen to his joyous day at York and why he got in very late that evening
Oddschecker had the St Leger date down as the 10th September but checking my calendar that is a Thursday. They can't seem to get much correct on that site. I saw a couple of races on there that were shown as being run on 1st January 2037 Talk about ante-post Pyledriver was awarded 119 from the Racing Post for his win in the Voltigeur and that is just 1 lb behind Mishriff on their ratings. I think that warrants a shot at the Arc in a poor year and you don't need a lot of money at 40/1 for an interest. The Leger is the poor man's Classic, year after year we see it shunned by the best and the race has become a sort of Silver Classic for those not good enough to get in a big one. To me the choice would be obvious and I'd rather see my horse go down guns blazing against the best rather than perhaps losing out in a slog to a dour stayer at Donny. Pyledriver 40/1 on the nose for a shocker in France Come on the cheap horse!
A strict interpretation of the Nassau form based on the runner-up’s effort in the Yorkshire Oaks would appear to suggest that Fancy Blue would be up against it but this is rapidly looking like an Arc where the going is totally key. We know that France Galop always water their tracks, so fast ground like we get in the UK is not going to happen. Of the first three in the betting, two have exhibited a preference for good or quicker ground. Ghaiyyath may be in a bit of a bind because if he dodges the Arc in favour of the Champion Stakes, he gets his optimum trip but is not much more likely to get quick ground. In the Yorkshire Oaks, Love won as she liked because none of her opponents turned out to be good enough to make a race of it. The Franconia bubble was quickly burst and on a flat track Frankly Darling had no excuses for simply not being good enough. I would not be rushing to back Love now that she is clear favourite as I can see some drift in that as we get nearer to October, unless of course Enable flops at Kempton or Godolphin announce that Ghaiyyath is going to the Irish and English Champion Stakes resulting in a betting shake up. Love is very uncomplicated and that will work in her favour in the Arc (as well as the weight allowance) but I still think it is probable that Enable is the better horse and less disadvantaged by easy conditions.
Wow, that's a big call Smoke. But to be fair, I've thought for a while now that Enable is not as strong chance as most seem to think. She's not the "pup" she used to be, and the Arc is one hell of a test. Age wearies all, and at 6, I think there's a chance that she'll feel the pinch in the last furlong. I hope she proves us both wrong though.
I think John Gosden is fully aware of the situation here. There is little chance that Enable is still improving as a six year old but she does hold her form remarkably well and can still run to her rating (just like Magical did in the Juddmonte). In my opinion, she got beaten in the Arc hat-trick attempt because Frankie sat too close to too strong a pace (being set by Ghaiyyath who had been pushed across from his bad draw to get to the front and never took a break). Waldgeist, who she had previously beaten twice, sat at the back and came late when all the pacesetters bar Enable had folded. She stayed on to the line but had nothing left to repel the challenger. I do not see Frankie making that mistake this year and connections have chosen to take a soft route to Longchamp. I can see where Smoke is going with his prediction that she runs unplaced: if one of the three year olds (e.g. Love) passes her with a furlong to go, Frankie may drop his hands; the mare owes him nothing so why give her a hard time for minor honours if the spark is not there?
Grendel, how did the horse get its name? Spelling eliminates haemorrhoids, of course. So, could it be the driver of one of the horse's owners, i.e. a Mr. Pyle? La Pyle Partnership doesn't mean a thing to me. Doesn't matter. Seriously, I honestly don't think he should go for the Arc, he is well-capable of winning the Leger, IMHO. We'll see! A poor man's Classic nowadays, but it is still the fifth and final Classic of the season, and it won't do his stud prospects any harm at all by winning the St. Leger?
I won't be backing Enable; unless nobody else does, and she goes off about 6/1, which she may well do on the PMU.
Interesting Swanny. If I could get a free entry to the Arc by winning a trial in France, I wouldn't think twice. If he runs in the trial and wins he won't be more than 10/1 for the Arc
. Cyc, I know what a piledriver is! My question is 'pyle driver'! Used to use that sort of equipment when starting off a drilling operation offshore with the conductor pipe (usually 30" dia.) Keep banging away until the big pipe cannot go any further. Then the conventional drilling starts in earnest.
Sorry, Cyc got me all mixed-up! Ah, I did not know that by winning a trial in France he'd get a free entry. Thought owners would have to pay that big sum of money as a late entry (can't think of the word atm ) However, I would still think he should stay home and win the last Classic. I just cannot see Pyledriver winning the Arc. Just a personal opinion.
No, I'm the gullible one when I poke my nose into these conversations. Now Nassau has got me cornered!
Good grief, Nassau, I don't know. Just checked the list of winners since WW2, some good racehorses, sure, but I have no idea which ones might have done well at stud.
Scorpion is about the only one I’d rate as a stallion and his progeny are fruit loops and purely NH horses. Camelot obviously is probably the odd one out with perhaps Sea Moon who both look decent or good sires but both failed in the St Leger. if you want to stand a horse at stud, you’d be best not to bother running in the St Leger.
I thought a pile driver was vodka and prune juice... and there is another meaning of pile driver that it is probably not appropriate to discuss here... The owners of Pyledriver (the horse) call themselves the La Pyle Partnership because Pyledriver’s dam is the mare La Pyle. He is her first foal. I believe there are three owners and they used to race the dam (unsuccessful here but had won in her native France) and someone persuaded them to breed from her because no-one wanted to buy her.
